mains



(NoModel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. F. MAINS.

MAIL SACK GRANB.

No. 443,290. Patented Dec. 23,1890.v

me Noms wenns co., mow-nwo., mswmmon, u.,cA

(N0 Model.) f .2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. F. MAINS.

MAIL SACK CRANE. A

y No. 443,290. Patented Dec. 23,1890.

@51j @Hozmmd UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

JOHN F. MAINS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

MAI L-SACK CRAN E'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,290, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed April 2]., 1890. Serial No. 348,861. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN F. MAINS. a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Mail-Sack Cranes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved crane for suspending mail-sacks adjacent to the path of a railway-train in such a position that a sack may be caught and drawn aboard the moving train.

. rIhe objects sought to be accomplished by my improvement are, first, to provide means for holding the sack in the proper position with a yielding force, so that the crane and the sack will not be injured by the shock of the catching-fork nor the sack to be displaced by the wind or like disturbing causes; second, to provide means for adjusting the length of the crane-arms to compensate Afor the aceidental displacement of the mast, so that the sack may always beheld at just the right distance from the'train, and, third, to so construct the crane that it will be compact and durable and occupy but little space laterally when not in use.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure l represents a side elevation showing the mailsack in position to be caught by the well-known catching-fork on a mail-train.

Fig. 2is a front elevation of the same, as seen from the line 2, Fig. 5. Fig. 3 represents a central longitudinal section of the lower crane-arm. Fig. 4c represents on an enlarged scale a cross-section at 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a plan at l, Fig. 1.

The mast A of the crane is cylindrical, and consists, preferably, of a section of iron tubing secured at the lower end to a cast baseplate B. Mast A is erected upon a platform C, arranged near the railroad-track D, to which the base-plate B is bolted, and the mast is still further secured by braces c e c, which are secured at their lower ends to the platform and at their upper ends to a collar F,

'whicheinbraces and is secured rigidly to the mast A, and is provided with a lateral eXtension G, which serves as a step for the operator in placing the mail-sack Il', as hereinafter explained. Mounted about midway of the length of the mast, so as to be vertically adj ustable thereon, is a bracket I, to which is pivoted a tubular arm J, the arrangement being such that the arm swings in a vertical plane on the bracket, and may assume the horizontal position extended toward the track, as shown in full lines, Fig. l, or the dependent vertical position indicated in dotted lines in the same figure.

Bracket I is provided with a vertical tubular socket m, in which is mounted a plunger n, which projects below the socket and rests above on a strong spiral spring o, arranged within the socket, the arrangement being such that when the arm J is extended horizontally it comes in contact with the plunger, and the further upward movement of the arm is resisted with a yielding force by the spring. Arm J is provided at its outer end with a longitudinally-extensible tip la, which is arranged to slide upon or within the body of the arm, and is adj ustably secured in position by a set-screw Z. Pivoted to the outer end of tip 71:, so as to swing in a horizontal plane thereon, is a spur p, having its free end proj ecting beyond the end of the tip and adapted to enter a ring or loop r on the inail-sack II. That side of tip 7s against which the spur p is fastened is Yprovided with a shallow recess s, and the opposed surface of the spur is provided with a projecting convex boss t, rising gradually from each edge toward the center and fitting into the recess s, the purpose being to present a yielding resistance to the lateral swinging of the spur in either direction.

Mounted on the top of the mast, so as to be vertically adjustable thereon, is a bracket R, having a socket m, plunger n, and spring o, like those found on bracket J, except that the spring is arranged to push the plunger up ward instead of downward. An arm T is pivoted to bracket R, so as to swing thereon above the top of the mast in the same vertical plane as arm J. Arm 'l is provided at its outer end with an extensible tip 7i; and spur p, like those on arm J, and it rests, when horizontal, as shown in full lines in Fig. l,on the plunger fit and spring o.

Arm T projects not only forward from the mast toward the track, but backward beyond the mast, and a weight u is mounted on its hack end and operates to hold the arm normally in a vertical position, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. l.

In erecting the crane the mast is secured to the platform C at approximately the right distance from the track, so that a line drawn between the spurs p ot' the extended arms will be in the path of the catching-fork commonly used on mail-trains. The spurs may afterward be adjusted at any time to exactly the right position by releasing thesct-screws t and sliding' the extensible tips 7.? of the respective arms inward or outward, as may be required, and again securingthem by thesetscrews.

In operation: The station until-agent, having the sack in hand, climbs the mast by means of the steps G and Y, swings the arm 'l down to a horizontal position, turns the spur p so that it lies parallel with and extends beyond the tip 7.', and suspends the sack by the ring or loop at one end thereof from the outer end of the upper spur 1). llc then descends, and raising arm .I to a horizontal position inserts the spurp of thatI arm in the ring or loop on the lower end of the sack, the Aspur lying parallel with the tip, as above, and the bosses t of both spurs resting in the rccessess of their respective arms. The adjustment of bracket 1t upon t-he mast is such that the sack is held at the proper height', and the bracket I is then adjusted along the mast to such a position that the sack will be held taut by a-rln .I with a slighttcnsion on the springs o. The bosses t on the spurs p, engaging the recesses s, prevent the spurs from being accidentally turned on their pivots bythe pressure of the wind against the sack.

In catching the sack by a moving mail-car the catching-fork on the car engages the sack between the arms of the crane, tending to bend the sack, and thus drawing the arms toward each other. rlhis movement is yieldinglyrcsisted by the springs o, and the shock of the contact of the moving fork is gradually communicated to the arms and mast'. lVhen the limit of compression of the springs is reached, theouward movement of thecatching-fork and the sack forces the bosscstoutof tlicrccesses s, and the spurs p then swing on their pivots toward the direction in which the catchingfork is moving and allow the loops of thc mail-sack to be easily drawn off the spurs. lVhen the sack is released, the arms automatically assume positions substantially parallel with the mast, as indicated in the dotted lines.

I claim as my inventionl. In a mail-sack crane, the combination of the mast, a bracket secured to the mast and provided with the socket m, the arm pivoted to the bracket so as to swing in a Vertical plane thereon, the plunger n, and the spring o, arranged in the socket, whereby a yielding stop is provided for the arm, as and for the purpose set forth,

'2. In a mail-sack crane, the combination, with the, mast, of a pair of arms secured to the mast, projecting horizontally therefrom and adapted to hold a inail-sack extended in a vertical position between them, each of said arms consisting of a body part which is at.- taelied to the mast, and a longitudinally-cxtensible tip, substantially as set forth.

In a mail-sack crane, the combination of the mast and a pair of longitudinally-extensible arms pivotally connected to the mast, so as to swing in a vertical plane thereon and adapted to hold a mail-sack extended ina vertical position between them, substantially as set forth.

ft. In a mail-sack crane, the combination of an arm arranged to swing ina vertical plane, and a spur pivoted to the arm so as to swing in a horizontal plane thereon and arranged to project beyond the free end of the arm, said arm and spur being provided on their opposed surfaces with an interlocking projection and recess having inclined surfaces, whereby the spur isheld parallel with the arm with a yielding force, substantially as specified.

JOHN I. MAINS.

Witnesses:

Il. l. Hoon, Y. M. Hoon. 

